“The ticket is in fact very real and was issued for exceeding the 10,000-kg bridge restriction placed on the Highway 22 bridge over the Oldman River,” said Russ Fikowski, and inspector with the CVE southern region. “The bridge is damaged and Alberta Transportation has placed the restriction to limit heavy vehicles from using the bridge.”

Fikowski explained that fines are specified in the Commercial Vehicle Dimension and Weight Regulation and are calculated based on the amount a vehicle is overweight.

He added that CVE officers have stopped a large amount of vehicles from crossing the bridge, but due to the large amount of truck traffic they are unable to stop every overweight vehicle attempting to cross the damaged bridge.

“There are a large number of billboards, electronic sign boards and bridge restriction signs before anyone enters Highway 22 at locations throughout Southern Alberta,” said Fikowski. “Additionally, there are bridge restriction signs entering the construction zone and at the traffic lights before you cross the bridge, and drivers have ample room to turn around at both approaches to the bridge.”

I wonder how many illegal trucks went over this bridge and not caught and fined? Monetary citations work but not if they only catch one guy every once in a while. A long term solution for increased enforcement would definitely help. A $25,000 fine does nothing to help fix that bridge, but better enforcement may prolong the life of the bridge and get drivers of heavy loads aware of the implications.
Remember, a lack of enforcement only benefits those who want to break the law – not the law abiding folks.

Port Colborne “about”to become a disaster for truck traffic?
P C is and will always be a disaster for not only truck traffic, but for the motoring public, especially during the Welland Canal shipping season.
Then there’s bridge maintenance or repair during and off shipping
season to contend with.
The vital importance of the Welland Canal is not the issue.
I’ve lived in this area for 55 years and have watched it get progressively
worse. The Mellanby Bridge is a band-aid solution and a nightmare for Truckers to navigate onto when by-passing the Main St. Bridge from the east side. It’s a 90 degree right turn onto the bridge. More often then not, truckers have to wait for opposing traffic on the bridge to backup
so they can complete there turn without the trailer hitting or climbing
the barrier wall that precedes the bridge.
Traffic lights should be controlled when certain bridges raised,impede
the flow of traffic, and “BRIDGE RAISED” signage should be installed further out of city limits.
These are just a few suggestions that will improve the flow of traffic
in Port Colborne, for truckers who” have” to go through it.
Ideally, a tunnel would be the ultimate solution for not only local traffic,
but for those who need to get by it.
I believe the lands for a future tunnel (Killaly St.) were recently sold by the government ……not sure why?…….maybe the proposed East-West Corridor can buy-pass the city to its north side via a tunnel.
The East-West Corridor would not only help situations, like in Port Colborne, the movement of goods via trucks needing to deliver to the
south and west of the escarpment would be vastly improved.
Is there any updates on the East-West Corridor proposed highway?

Something I see all over Ontario is a. “No Heavy Trucks” or weight restriction signage after the transport truck has turned and committed itself to a route. Options to get turned around are over at this point.
Realities are that roads, signage, or receiving areas for that matter, are not engineered in the mind of a transport truck driver, but likely in the mind of someone who has no familiarity with the fundamental concepts or with what the true perception that the job requires. Trucks get duped by poor signage all the time for the simple fact that your eyes can’t be everywhere, all the time and can miss a sign.
People blame a cheap GPS unit over the $600 model made for transport trucks, but solely depending on technology is weak in the face of poor engineering and education standards.
Everyone has a duty to ensure that infallibility can exist and all the angles are covered.
In many cases, I’ve seen signs restricting trucks AFTER a transport has committed itself to a route and turning around in someone’s flower bed is not an option when that happens.
It should come as no surprise that economic models don’t build to the best standards, but rather what will do just fine to the Leigh person.
The risks are evident that if we depend on even the $600, highest quality GPS, the false sense of security that it breeds will likely see these incidences more frequent. Especially if if infrastructure and driver training is not of the highest quality.